Production salt water recycle/treatment process

Abstract

A skid-mounted system, for recycling production salt water from an oil well, may include a skid housing; a separation tank enclosed within the skid housing; a control system enclosed within the skid housing; a salt water port configured to be connected to a supply of salt water and transfer the salt water to the separation tank; a fuel port configured to be connected to a fuel supply and provide fuel to a burner attached to the separation tank; an exhaust stack that is connected to the separation tank and that is configured to exhaust hot gas produced by the burner to an environment; and a steam stack that is connected to the separation tank and that is configured to release steam produced by the separation tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A skid-mounted system for recycling production salt water, comprising:
 a skid housing; 
 a plurality of separation tanks enclosed within the skid housing, wherein each separation tank comprises a burner tube, and wherein each burner tube comprises multiple ninety degree bends to maximize a surface area of the burner tube; 
 a programmable logic controller (PLC) enclosed within the skid housing; 
 a salt water port configured to connect to a supply of salt water and transfer salt water to the plurality of separation tanks; 
 a fuel port configured to connect to a fuel supply and provide fuel to burners attached to the plurality of separation tanks; 
 a plurality of exhaust stacks that are connected to the plurality of separation tanks and that are configured to exhaust hot gas produced by the burners to an environment; and 
 a plurality of steam stacks that are connected to the plurality of separation tanks and that are configured to release steam produced by the plurality of separation tanks. 
 
     
     
       2. The skid-mounted system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of separation tanks comprises:
 one or more sight glasses configured to allow an operator to view a liquid level in each separation tank; 
 one or more salt water inlets configured to supply each separation tank with the salt water; 
 a pressure probe configured to monitor a pressure within each separation tank; 
 a temperature probe configured to monitor a temperature within each separation tank; 
 a safety valve configured to release the steam within each separation tank; and 
 an inspection port configured to provide the operator with access to an inside of each separation tank. 
 
     
     
       3. The skid-mounted system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of separation tanks comprises five separation tanks, wherein the one or more sight glasses comprises two sight glasses, and wherein the one or more salt water inlets comprises three salt water inlets. 
     
     
       4. The skid-mounted system of  claim 1 , wherein each separation tank comprises a recessed bottom, wherein the recessed bottom is angled downward from a center of the recessed bottom to an edge of the recessed bottom. 
     
     
       5. The skid-mounted system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of panels covering a top and sides of the skid-mounted system to withstand environmental conditions at an operating site. 
     
     
       6. The skid-mounted system of  claim 1 , wherein an exhaust outlet extends through a panel covering a top of the skid-mounted system. 
     
     
       7. The skid-mounted system of  claim 1 , wherein the burner tube extends through each separation tank from the burner to the exhaust outlet. 
     
     
       8. The skid-mounted system of  claim 1 , further comprising a door to allow access into the skid housing. 
     
     
       9. The skid-mounted system of  claim 1 , wherein each separation tank comprises a temperature probe port and a pressure probe port. 
     
     
       10. The skid-mounted system of  claim 1 , wherein each separation tank comprises a sight glass to allow viewing of a liquid level within the separation tank. 
     
     
       11. The skid-mounted system of  claim 1 , wherein each separation tank comprises an inspection port to allow access to an inside of the separation tank. 
     
     
       12. The skid-mounted system of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom of each separation tank comprises a salt port configured to release salt from the separation tank. 
     
     
       13. A skid-mounted system for recycling production salt water, comprising:
 a skid housing; 
 a separation tank enclosed within the skid housing, wherein the separation tank comprises a burner; 
 a programmable logic controller (PLC) enclosed within the skid housing; 
 a salt water inlet configured to connect to a supply of salt water and transfer salt water to the separation tank; 
 a wellhead gas valve configured to direct wellhead gas, from an oil well, into the burner; 
 an auxiliary fuel valve configured to direct non-wellhead gas into the burner; 
 an exhaust outlet configured to exhaust hot gas produced by each burner to an environment; 
 a steam outlet that is connected to the separation tank and that is configured to release steam produced by the separation tank; and 
 a plurality of salt water inlets evenly spaced along a circumference of the inside of the separation tank, wherein each salt water inlet is configured to connect to the supply of salt water and transfer the salt water to the separation tank. 
 
     
     
       14. The skid-mounted system of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of panels covering a top and sides of the skid-mounted system to withstand environmental conditions at an operating site. 
     
     
       15. The skid-mounted system of  claim 13 , wherein a bottom of the separation tank comprises a salt port configured to release salt from the separation tank, wherein the salt port is controlled by a salt valve, and wherein the salt valve is controlled by the PLC. 
     
     
       16. The skid-mounted system of  claim 13 , wherein a burner tube extends through the separation tank from the burner to the exhaust outlet. 
     
     
       17. The skid-mounted system of  claim 16 , wherein the burner tube comprises multiple ninety degree bends to maximize a surface area of the burner tube. 
     
     
       18. The skid-mounted system of  claim 13 , wherein the steam outlet is fluidly coupled to a steam trap, and wherein the steam trap is configured to capture entrained water from the separation tank. 
     
     
       19. A skid-mounted system for recycling production salt water, comprising:
 a skid housing; 
 a separation tank enclosed within the skid housing, wherein the separation tank comprises a burner, wherein a bottom of the separation tank comprises a salt port configured to release salt from the separation tank, wherein the salt port is controlled by a salt valve, and wherein the salt valve is controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC); 
 the PLC enclosed within the skid housing; 
 a salt water inlet configured to connect to a supply of salt water and transfer salt water to the separation tank; 
 a wellhead gas valve configured to direct wellhead gas, from an oil well, into the burner; 
 an auxiliary fuel valve configured to direct non-wellhead gas into the burner; 
 an exhaust outlet configured to exhaust hot gas produced by each burner to an environment; and 
 a steam outlet that is connected to the separation tank and that is configured to release steam produced by the separation tank. 
 
     
     
       20. The skid-mounted system of  claim 19 , further comprising a burner tube extending through the separation tank from the burner, wherein the burner tube comprises multiple ninety degree bends to maximize a surface area of the burner tube.